Storge
by Gen17
Summary: Storge - Familial love, natural affection. Drabbles/One-shots focusing on the decidedly unique Royal Family of Arendelle. Chapter 5 - Anna brings home a stray, and Elsa is less than pleased.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Frozen drabble series, because I'm not really a linear, multi-chapter sort of writer. (Ratings may vary, chapter to chapter. Nothing above a T.)**

**Disclaimer: Disney owns Frozen**

**- _Beginnings -_**

* * *

He smiles. Tells her she has her mother's beauty. _You hear that, little one?_ _Such fine, delicate features._

His wife laughs into the fabric of his shirt.

_She's an infant, dear. All newborns have 'fine, delicate features.'_

But he insists, and she relents, smiles. _Whatever you say._

He hugs them closer; his wife. His daughter. He likes the feeling of the two of them in his arms. _A proper family._

His chest feels tight, but not unpleasantly so. It's a warm feeling…he can't quite describe it; it's a strong sort of _tugging_ and all he can think is that he has so much _love_ for them and how can he possibly show it? And he thinks to himself that he's going to protect them, protect _her._ She will want for nothing, she will be loved and yes, yes, he is _sure_ of it, he _swears_ it shall be so…

The infant squirms. Pale blue eyes stare up at them. She squint. Gurgles.

_Yes, little one…hello,_ he says, voice soft. He looks at his wife. She nods. A decision has been made. When next he speaks, it is just as soft, but regal; firm and absolute.

_Our little one,_ he says. _Elsa._

_XXX_

The first six months are blessedly uneventful.

The seventh is decidedly _not._

It begins small. Unexplained wet spots on the rugs.

_Perhaps a leak in the roof…?_

Patches of frost. **Indoors. **

_Perhaps __a window was left open…? _

They explain away the phenomena easily enough. After all, the rugs can be dried. The frost melts.

But the small snow storms that form overhead when Elsa starts to teethe are hard to ignore, and harder still to explain away.

_I think, perhaps…_the queen muses aloud, caught somewhere between worry and awe,_ our daughter is special._

The king, his eyes wide, mouth slightly agape, nods.

_I think, perhaps…you're right._

_XXX_

They worry at first. They fret and frown. _Where did the powers come from? How do they work? Is it a blessing? A curse?_ The fears gradually subside. After all, neither can recall a run-in with a witch; no incantations, no wrathful plague incurred on either of their family trees. And Elsa doesn't seem any worse for wear. If anything, she seems delighted at the bright, beautiful snowflakes that drift overhead.

And so, the worrying stops.

But the questions remain.

XXX

_Are we going to tell anyone? Are…are we going to tell the kingdom...?_

…_Not yet._

_XXX_

Anna is born. And though he assumes, at first, that three people wrapped in his arms will take some getting used to, he immediately sees that he is wrong. Three feels just right. Three feels _perfect._

"She's small," Elsa observes, voice quiet, because Anna is sleeping and she doesn't want her to wake up and start that awful _screaming_ again.

"You used to be that small," he tells her. She looks at him, clearly unconvinced, but he's _Papa,_ he knows everything, so she nods and wraps her arms around his neck, sighing into his shoulder. Papa also says she and Anna are going to be good friends, and she believes that too, even though she's not sure she wants a friend that _screams_ that much.

_XXX_

At first, the queen doesn't think it will work.

_Anna is still too young,_ his wife insists. _She keeps getting out of bed. She'll keep Elsa up._

She's right—the toddler has been in a particularly foul mood as of late. Flurries follow her down the halls, her small face scrunched in a sleepy frown.

_Can't Anna go back and sleep in your room?_ Elsa asks. She likes Anna…but Anna is _noisy_ and never _sleeps_ and _cries_ all the time like a baby…

_Give it one more night,_ the king says. _If your little sister can't behave…we'll figure something else out._

And she doesn't want to agree, but Papa tickles her, and soon she's giggling and smiling and _okay okay okay!_ She laughs, squirming and trying to get him back, but he's bigger and dodges easily. So she goes to bed that night, just _waiting_ for Anna to get up and start making a fuss.

She hears the sound of small feet on the floor.

_Elsa!_

_Go back to sleep Anna._

_Elsa, look, look!_ And Elsa turns over, because she's curious, of course. And sleepy, but more curious. And she sees that Anna is pointing to the window, and the bright Northern Lights that dance across the sky.

_Sky's awake!_ She says. And Elsa suddenly understands _why_ her sister can't get to sleep.

So she pulls her little body up onto her bed, scooting her over and building a sort of pillow wall between them. To block out the light.

_There,_ Elsa declares. _The sky is asleep. So you should be too._

It takes a while, and Anna rambles a little, about horses, and ribbons, and whatever her three-year-old mind sees fit to chat about, but eventually the younger of the two falls asleep. And Elsa is quite proud, that she's solved the mystery, and that Anna will finally be _quiet_ and leave her _be_ and…

And that's when Anna steals her blanket, and she learns that her little sister is a kicker.

* * *

**Good, bad? Mediocre? There's a lot of Frozen fic out there, I know...but you can never have too much of these girls, in my opinion. :) Anyways, reviews are appreciated, but it's cool if you don't feel inclined to leave one. Hope you enjoyed the story either way. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Silly thing I typed up on a whim. **

**Disclaimer: Disney owns Frozen**

**- _Helping Hands__ -_**

* * *

The long, dark table in the main dining hall is an unremarkable thing. At least, this is what Elsa always assumed, much as she assumed the other furnishings were fairly unexceptional. Certainly the quality is a bit above average…this is a _castle,_ after all, not a small sea-side shack, but she's never dealt with complaints from anyone—no one has ever expressed being _offended_ by the table, by the chairs.

"This tree was _murdered."_

Elsa blinks at the short rock creature, who looks so thoroughly vexed that for a moment, she's at a loss for words.

"Um…"

Kristoff waves his hands wildly behind the troll, obviously trying to get her attention. He's mouthing something, but she can't quite catch it, and now there's an awkward pause in the conversation so she has to say _something._

"I'm…I'm sorry. I'm confused." She admits. She's found that it's sometimes the safest course of action, to just…tell the trolls, when she doesn't understand. (Which usually leads to an educational song of some sort. She's honestly surprised that Kristoff is so opposed to dancing, when his family is so…musical. But then, that could be the reason for it.)

"This tree! Right here! Chopped down in the prime of its life," the troll—Elsa struggles to recall his name. Crag? Something like that—jabs a finger towards the table and scowls. "Why, this entire _room_ is filled with murdered trees! This entire _castle!"_

"I…uh…" Elsa looks to Kristoff, somewhat frantically, as Crag begins to list the _names_ of various trees that have been taken before their time. The ice harvester is no longer waving his arms, thank goodness…but now it appears as though he's trying to mime the words to her.

He holds his forefinger and thumb close together. _Little word._ He points to Elsa, then himself, then Elsa again.

She wants to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, but fights the urge to do so. The laughing would no doubt turn hysterical rather quickly.

"…We…" she begins, hazarding a guess. Kristoff grins and nods eagerly. He holds up two fingers. _Second word,_ then repeats the sign for 'little word.' He does something with his ear, then frowns.

"We…uh…sad?" Crag looks confused, and so does Elsa. We sad? That makes absolutely _no_ sense. She smiles weakly at Crag. "No, um, I mean, we…"

Kristoff slaps his forehead, shaking his head furiously. _No, no, no._ He grabs his ear lobe again. Exaggerates tugging on it.

_Oh, oh. Yes, of course. 'Sounds like.'_ She nods at him, _I understand._ Once he's satisfied that she's ready to continue, he offers another exaggerated frown. Sounds like frown? Or, sounds like sad? She pauses and considers the sentence. Kristoff is gesturing like a mad man, seeming to spell out words in the air before him—

"Had!" She declares, making sense of all that flailing. Crag blinks at her seemingly random outburst. And she waits for Kristoff to continue, but by now he's grabbed one of the younger trolls who stands at the back of the room with the others, pulls a ledger from one of the side tables (A Birch name Halvar apparently died so that end table might live) and, guiding the tiny troll's finger, has the little one write out something on the page. (He's a…graphite troll, perhaps?) Kristoff hurriedly jots it down and then, tearing the page from the book (she's going to toss snow down the back of his shirt for that later) he holds it up, so that she can read it.

She squints.

"We had…Grand Pabbie's…persimmon. Permission!" She amends quickly. And at last, Crag no longer looks confused. Slightly put-off, and understandably so, but not confused.

"…Oh," he says with a huff. "Did you, now?"

"Yes." She says. But then looks to the back of the room, to Kristoff. "…Yes?" He nods. "_Yes."_

"Well, _that's_ good," he says, suddenly jovial. "For you, anyways. I was going to call down a curse on you, your family, your cow—"

"Reindeer." One of the trolls nearby whispers.

"Details." Crag flaps a hand at them. "Woo boy! It would've been a _doozy,_ too! I mean, we're talking misery, mayhem, misfortune—"

At that point, Bulda and Cliff arrive (finally) and they can begin to discuss Anna and Kristoff's wedding _at last,_ but Cliff's eyes widened and his mouth drops open in shock.

"These trees were _murdered!"_

And Kristoff groans, and says , _no, no Pa, let me explain—_

And Bulda brings Elsa a lovely moss sweater that clashes with…well, _everything_ and comments that Elsa is far too skinny, no meat on them bones, gotta eat more to stay warm during the winter months…And then she laughs, _HA! Guess you don't have to worry 'bout that!_

And Elsa sighs. Smiles. Endures.

_In-laws._

* * *

**Yes, yes, technically they aren't Elsa's in-laws, but you just _know_ Anna is going to want everybody to be thick as thieves and Bulda will insist on being called 'Ma' by all involved and...alright, maybe not, but that's what I like to imagine, anyway. One big, crazy family. XD**

**Good? Bad? Meh? You can let me know with a review, if you feel so inclined! I appreciate 'em. :) Either way, hope it was enjoyable!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I have a feeling 'silly' and 'typed up on a whim' are going to be...a 'thing' with this collection of one-shots. Also! Thank you to those who have reviewed/faved/followed! Always appreciated. :)**

**Disclaimer: Disney owns Frozen**

**- _Velocipede_ -**

* * *

It was shortly after the mid-day meal when Kai came for her, briskly announcing that she was wanted in her father's study. She nodded and followed after him, asking what, exactly, Papa wanted her _for_. (She was trying to recall if she'd done anything to warrant a punishment…there was that one thing with the tutor's tea—)

"I haven't the faintest notion, miss," Kai informed her. But he was sort-of-smiling, so Elsa was _pretty_ sure he _did_ know, and just wasn't telling her. (Kai was funny like that.)

The two arrived at the study and, after Kai announced Elsa (today she was the Pirate Queen of Skull Rock, and she giggled, because he used that one _last_ time) they entered.

The Queen sat on the chaise by the fireplace, an opened book in her lap. The King, though, stood in front of his desk, and gestured grandly at a…at a…

Well, Elsa didn't really know what it was, actually.

"Ah, there you are, Elsa." Papa grinned. "Look what arrived this morning!"

Papa looked excited, so Elsa did her best to at least appear…interested…as he told her that it was a gift, sent by the Duke from a neighboring kingdom (who was also a distant relative…Mama's third cousin's brother's wife's step-niece's great uncle. Twice removed. Or maybe thrice. No one could remember.)

"Oh," Elsa said, once he'd finished. "That's…nice," Kai gave her a tiny nudge forward, and so she wandered closer, if only to get a better look at it.

"…What is it?" she asked. She was _intrigued_ by the contraption, certainly, but she was having a rather hard time getting _excited_ over it.

Papa picked up a card from his desk and, after clearing his throat in a dramatic fashion, read it aloud.

"'For her Royal Highness Princess Elsa,'" he began, "'My own daughters have found much enjoyment in this novel invention, which I've been told is a _bicycle_. I send one to you as well, in the hopes that you, too, may find hours of enjoyment in it. Your humble servant, sincerely, the Duke of Romsdal.'" He set the card aside and grinned. "Wasn't that thoughtful of him, Elsa?"

As Elsa nodded, Mama stood and joined Papa by his desk

"Hmmm, yes, quite thoughtful," she murmured quietly behind him, wearing a wry smile. "Curious how the gift coincides quite nicely with the upcoming trade agreement—"

"Darling—"

"A bicycle," Elsa said to herself, still eyeing it skeptically. She noted the two wheels, a…it looked like a handle of some sort? A seat. "You...ride it?"

"Yes dear," Mama said, draping an arm around the small girl's shoulders. "I imagine rather like a horse."

"Can you show me?" Elsa asked. Mama smiled, but shook her head.

"I'm afraid not, little one," she replied. "I've only seen pictures in _The Post_."

"Oh..." Elsa frowned, a bit crestfallen. But then, she turned to Papa. Papa knew _everything_. Certainly, _he _would know how to ride it.

"Mmmm," He hummed, after she asked him. "Of...course, Elsa. I will happily teach you...but not today. Unfortunately I…have some documents that need going over—"

"Oh, can't you put them off?" Elsa pleaded. But Mama, with a knowing grin, told Elsa to run along. Papa had work to do. "...Alright..." She muttered, before trotting off down the hall.

The Queen watched her daughter go, pretending not to notice the troubled expression on her husband's face.

"Well then," she said, "I suppose I shall leave you to your... _work,_ hmm?"

"What? Oh yes, yes. Work."

_**XXX**_

The Queen returned to the study several hours later, in the hopes of discussing an upcoming diplomatic visit with her husband. She needed to know when, exactly, to expect the dignitaries from Corona. (They had been woefully unprepared for the last visit, which had, through a series of increasingly unfortunate mishaps, almost resulted in all-out _war._ She wanted to avoid any potential international incidents this time around, if she could.)

She opened the door, just a bit. If he was too busy, she would ask him about it tomorrow.

Books sat open on the desk, papers strewn this way and that. It was clear, from the chaotic heap of documents, that little work had been accomplished.

The Queen spotted her copy of _The Post_ atop the piles, opened to the article discussing the 'dandy horse craze' that was sweeping the greater part of Europe.

The King sat hunched over the newspaper, raking a hand through his hair.

"_Ugh._" he grumbled to himself, _glowering_ at the untouched bicycle. "Of all the useless—Why couldn't he have sent a _pony_?"

The Queen had to duck back into the hall to stifle her laughter.

_**XXX**_

Early the next morning, as Kai was making his usual tour of the castle, he stumbled across an unsightly collection of leaves, just beyond the castle walls, at the edge of the garden.

_The groundskeepers have been slacking,_ he decided with an indignant sniff. He was going to have to have a word with them.

He turned sharply on his heel, ready to march off and give those lackadaisical gadabouts a piece of his mind, when he heard someone clear their throat.

Blinking, Kai turned. He hadn't _seen_ anyone out here, but it was possible he missed—

"Kai,"

The chamberlain blinked again and looked towards the offending tree; the one that had so _rudely_ shed its leaves all over the cobblestone walk. At first, he thought that someone was _behind_ said tree, but after casting his gaze upwards…

"Good morning, sir. I…did not see you there. Forgive me." He inclined his head in apology.

"Of course, Kai." The King returned the nod.

"Did you need something, sir?"

"Ah, yes. Do you think...perhaps...you could fetch...?"

"A ladder, sir?"

"Yes, Kai, that would be most helpful. And if you could assist me in...getting down, I would owe you a great debt."

"Certainly, sir."

"One more thing, Kai."

"Yes?"

"If you could fish the bicycle out of the fjord...?"

"Consider it done."

_**XXX**_

With Kai's help, the King was able to stay out of trees…and the fjord…and in fact made progress with the bicycle. Early each morning, the two would (discreetly) take the infernal device to the far edge of the grounds and practice.

"You wobbled a great deal less this time, sir," Kai told him after a moderately successful session.

"Thank you," the King replied grimly, picking leaves from his hair. (Yes, he had avoided trees and bodies of water—but he was still having a hard time keeping away from shrubbery.)

A week passed before either felt he was ready to teach young Elsa. Even then, the King made Kai promise to stay close by and offer further advice. Particularly on the dodging of shrubs.

And so, he called his eldest daughter down to the main castle courtyard, the bicycle on his left, Kai standing resolutely at his right. At some point the Queen had wandered over as well, little Anna in tow.

"Are you kidding?" she teased him quietly, when he asked why she'd come down. She picked Anna up and settled her against her hip. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Oh, ha ha." He rolled his eyes. He fought to keep the grin off his face, but his mustache twitched, giving him away.

At last Elsa came, clearly curious as to what all the fuss was about.

"I told you I would teach you to ride," he reminded her, nodding to the bicycle. "Shall we begin?"

The young girl gave him an odd look.

"Oh…" she started, and it was then that the King could name the expression. It was something akin to _guilt. _"Well I…I sort of already taught myself how to ride it a few days ago."

There was a pause, and then,

"You…taught…what?" he frowned as the Queen let out a rather unladylike snort. Kai snickered quietly, and even Anna giggled, oblivious to what was going on, but everyone _else_ looked like they were having a good time, and so she was, too.

"I can't believe this," he said at last, shaking his head. Elsa hurried over and wrapped him in a hug, her small arms encircling his legs.

"Sorry Papa," she said. He sighed, and gave her head a small pat. He was…disappointed, yes. But Elsa could now ride the bicycle, and that had been the end goal, right?

He assured her that he was not upset—that in fact, he was very proud that she had taught herself to ride it.

"Maybe…maybe you could teach Anna, when she's bigger?" Elsa suggested, still feeling a _little_ bad. It was clear Papa had wanted to help.

Before he could respond, the Queen stepped closer.

"That might be for the best, dear," She told him. Anna was waving her arms, clearly unsatisfied with her current position. She wanted Papa to hold her.

"Oh?" The King asked, raising an eyebrow. Elsa had already scurried off after Kai, who was saying something about a…Pirate Queen…? He accepted the toddler, only to find that she was more interested in playing with his epaulets than anything else. "Why is that?"

The Queen leaned over and gave him a quick kiss before answering with a mischievous gleam in her eye, "You could use a few more years of practice."

* * *

**Familial fluff all over the place! XD Anyways, review or not, that's cool, but either way, hope you've enjoyed it! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: _Super_ short, quick lil' thing. **

**Disclaimer: Disney owns Frozen**

_**- Points -**_

* * *

"Anna—"

"_Elsa."_

"We've been over this—"

"A passing mention at dinner does _not_ count!"

"—I've told you, countless times, it would not be _appropriate_—"

"According to who?!"

"To…to…a lot of people."

"Ah-_ha!_ You can't even come up with a good answer. Point goes to me."

"We are not keeping _score."_

"We totally are. Starting now. Right now."

"What? That's—that's hardly fair, considering I had a rather valid point about floral arrangements the other day, and—"

"Nope. Nope. My rules. We're starting _now._ I'm in the lead. Oooooh, Queen Elsa, down by one!"

"I am not…this is entirely beside the point. Can we please get back to the topic _at hand—"_

"I am _wearing_ the dress, Elsa."

"I'd hardly call it a 'dress,' but that aside, you can't—"

"Come on, please?! It's like, a big deal in Troll tradition, or something!"

"No, Anna. My answer is no."

"But—"

"No. No. End of discussion."

"You still haven't given me a good _reason._ Tell me why I can't, and then I'll leave it be. Cross my heart, and all that stuff."

"…There are several reasons, I assure you—"

"Name _one."_

"…Because."

"Because _why?_"

"Because…"

"See?! You just can't come up with anythi—"

"It's made of _moss!_"

"…Yeah, so? Your dress is made of _ice."_

"It…"

…

…

…

"I believe that's another point to me."

*Sigh*

"I believe it is."

* * *

**Like I said, _super_ short, quick lil' snippet. As always, review, don't review, it's cool either way. Hope it was enjoyable, regardless! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Woo! Been a while, hasn't it? Apologies, life got in the way, etc. etc. And...oh man. This started out as a simple little thing, and sorta...spiraled out of control. **

**Disclaimer: Disney owns Frozen. I do not.**

**-_ Stray -_**

* * *

_Drip, drip, drip._

Elsa watched as the puddle beneath Anna's boots grew, the dark stain in the carpet steadily expanding. She didn't mind it really—she'd feel a bit like a hypocrite, bringing it up, what with all the icy mishaps she'd had over the years. But she _did_ flinch a little as her soaked-through younger sister dripped water on the surface of the old wood desk.

"So. Funny story."

"Let me guess. It involves the fjord."

"No, actually! Duck pond."

"Ah."

Anna proceeded to relate the events of the past hour to her, beginning with the odd yowling she and Kristoff heard while walking through the garden, and ending with the daring rescue of a small cat who had found itself tangled among the reeds that grew along the edges of the pond. Which explained Anna's soggy, sodden state, as well as the shivering kitten in her arms.

"So…here we are."

"I can see that." Elsa nodded, eyeing the droplets of water as she carefully pulled her documents to the side. "Anna…don't take this the wrong way but…is there a reason you felt the need to come up to the study? Before…I don't know…changing? Or, at the very least, _drying off?"_

"Yes!" Anna exclaimed, bouncing on her heels. Her boots made an audible _squish_ noise against the wet carpet. Elsa winced. "I…uh…well I had an _idea…_"

"…What _sort_ of an idea?" Elsa asked, though she had a pretty good guess as to what it was.

"Well, I was just _thinking,_ maybe—"

"No."

"Oh, you didn't even let me _ask."_

"I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is _no_."

Anna wanted to keep the thing, short and simple. Anna had gone through a bit of a 'phase' when they were younger, bringing in every stray animal that had the misfortune of crossing paths with the excitable young princess. Of course, Anna was no longer that small, insistent five year old, begging their father to let them keep the mangy barn cat that had decided to take up residence in the stables. Elsa liked to think that Anna had matured some since then; and she had, mostly. But she'd recognized the pleading look on her face almost immediately.

"We can't keep it," she clarified the point before Anna could concoct some kind of loophole, though her sister was clearly still trying to come up with some sort of argument against Elsa's decision. But her mind was made up.

Or…so she thought.

Elsa wasn't sure _what_ possessed her to give in. Perhaps it was the slight tremble of her sister's lip. Perhaps it was the soft, pleading gaze of her brother-in-law. Or maybe it was the pitiful state of the small bundle of wet fur that Anna held close to her chest, it's tiny pink nose twitching, the only sound from it an occasional, pathetic mewl.

"_Please_ Elsa!" Anna begged, cradling the creature closer. "Look at it! It needs someone to take care of it!"

"I said no," Elsa was using what Anna privately dubbed her 'Queen' voice. She usually reserved _that_ tone for pesky dignitaries and the stuffier members of her Council. Rarely did she use it on Anna—but when she did, Anna knew better than to press her.

_However,_ this was a special case. It wasn't every day you found an adorable kitten, floundering in the duck pond just beyond the castle walls. So, against her better judgment, she continued to plead, eagerly stepping closer to Elsa's desk.

"How about…how about just until it gets better," she decided to try out the 'bargaining' approach. If she could just have a bit more _time,_ she knew Elsa would come around, if only because of the fact that it would afford Anna several more opportunities to wear her down.

Elsa stood next to her chair with her arms crossed. Her lips were pressed into a tight line, and her eyes narrowed as she regarded both Anna and the cat.

She should have said _no._ No, no, no. Animals in the castle…it simply wasn't something she wanted or needed in her life. She already had a small kingdom to run and a sentient snowman who, more often than not, required some form of supervision, lest they have another noodle incident. (Elsa shuddered at the mere memory of it.)

"I don't think—" Elsa was ready with another refusal, but Anna thrust the kitten forward, until its wide green eyes were level with Elsa's own. Both blinked, surprised. "Wha—"

And _that_ was probably what persuaded Elsa to give in—those large, pleading green eyes, and the sad little 'meow' that followed. She felt her resolve begin to falter, and her stiff frown began to soften. Somewhere in there was a joke to be made about melting a frozen heart, but Elsa was not in the mood.

"—_Fine."_ She huffed. Anna let out a whoop of triumph, which Elsa tried to temper with reminders of, 'it's only for a little while,' and 'it's not allowed on the furniture, at _all,'_ but Anna was beyond the point of listening, already excitedly talking with Kristoff, and oh _Lord,_ they were discussing _names._

"We're not keeping it!" Elsa hollered after them.

They didn't appear to be listening.

Idly, as Elsa returned to the work at her desk, she thought of the small cat, its ruddy orange fur sticking out at odd angles due to its dip in the pond, its large green eyes, small frame, and the piteous note in its meow.

She realized it reminded her a bit of Anna.

* * *

A day passed, and then another. Elsa found herself preoccupied with other matters, and she paid no mind to the small furry visitor who had taken up residence in the castle, in spite of Anna's best efforts to get the two in the same room.

"If you would just—"

"I'm sorry, Anna, but I have more important—"

"Can't it wait?"

"Not unless you want to start a war."

"…Well maybe—_"_

"Anna!"

"Joking! Joking. See? This is my joking face." Anna put on a broad grin, at which Elsa rolled her eyes, and did her best to hide a wry smile of her own.

Other attempts were made, but Elsa was successful in avoiding the cat.

She tried to tell herself it wasn't avoidance, though. She really _was_ quite busy. But honestly, it wasn't her work that kept her from the cat. It was…something else.

As a third day came and went, and night crept over the kingdom, Elsa had yet to see the cat. Or deal with it directly. She asked Kristoff about its health, and he shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Doing better, I'd say. Still has a cough, though."

Elsa felt something akin to concern worm its way into her mind. Which was _ridiculous._ It was just a stray. A stray that was not sticking around for much longer, as she had made _perfectly clear._

"O-oh," she said. "Ah…well, is Anna doing anything for it? The cough, I mean. I'd…like to send it on its way as soon as possible, after all," she added quickly. Kristoff nodded and told her that Anna was keeping a close eye on it, making sure it was eating well, drinking, keeping warm.

"Good, good."

"It's a 'she' by the way," Kristoff told her.

"I'm sorry?"

"The cat is a 'she.' I think Anna's still picking out a name, though."

"Of _course_ she is."

They chatted for a bit longer, Elsa inquiring about Sven, the ice business, and Anna. Kristoff answered, and in turn asked Elsa about Arendelle, the ice business, and Anna. Eventually the conversation reached its end, and Elsa excused herself for the evening.

Only to be intercepted by a rather flustered-looking Kai.

"Master Kristoff," he huffed, tugging at his shirt collar. Sweat beaded on the man's brow. "I—oh, my apologies, your Majesty," he dipped into a hasty bow. Elsa waved him off.

"It's fine, Kai. What's the matter?"

"I—we just—_ahem."_ Kai caught his breath before continuing. He stood, and straightened his coat. "Apologies. We've received word from a…Grand Pabbie? Apparently there is an incident unfolding in the Valley of the Living Rock that requires Kristoff's immediate attention." By this time, Anna had heard some of the commotion in the hallway, and had joined the three of them, silently approaching her husband and standing at his side.

"What?" Kristoff asked, suddenly concerned. "Did Grand Pabbie say anything else? Is something wrong?"

"He didn't give many details, Sir," Kai admitted. "Only that they needed you there as soon as possible."

"I'll go get the sled ready," Kristoff said, already moving towards the stairs. Anna hurried after.

"I'm coming with you!"

Kristoff was too worried to protest, and Kai was too winded. Only Elsa seemed to raise an eyebrow at her sister's insistence to go.

"I don't think—"

"I don't want him riding out there in the dark _alone,"_ Anna said. Elsa nodded.

"I understand, but I don't want _either_ of you riding out there in the dark, alone."

"We'll take Olaf."

"_Anna_—"

"_And_ some guards, alright? It'll be fine, Elsa." Anna's smile was so encouraging that Elsa found herself nodding in agreement, and it wasn't until the group was very nearly through the front gates that something occurred to the queen.

"W-wait!" She yelled as Anna hurried into the sled. "The cat—!"

"Oh, right! Yeah, yeah, the cat, just—" She shoved a few bedrolls aside as she shimmied into her seat next to Kristoff. "Keep a close eye on her! And make sure she stays warm! And don't feed her too late! And—" she called out more instructions, but they were lost to the night air as Kristoff gave the reins a sharp tug and they were off.

* * *

Elsa was pacing back and forth in front of her bedroom door when Kai found her. It was late, even for her, and of this, Kai was well aware.

"Is everything alright, Ma'am?" he asked, even though he knew the answer. Elsa shook her head.

"It's…it's nothing, Kai. But thank you."

"I was told that one of the servants moved Miss Anna's…feline friend to your quarters," he said carefully. "Would you prefer that…it be moved elsewhere?"

"No, no," she said, even though it was a tempting offer. "That's…I mean, that's not why I'm…I'm not afraid of it, if that's what you're implying," she said at last, giving up the 'composed royal' routine and instead opting for the 'flustered twenty-something' she was. There were few people permitted to see this particular side of her, Kai being one of them.

"Of course not, Ma'am."

"Because that would be ridiculous. To be afraid of a something that small."

"Indeed."

"So…we're in agreement, then," Elsa finished lamely, turning to face the door. "Ridiculous."

"Yes," Kai nodded. "Ridiculous, most certainly. But perhaps…understandable as well."

Kai knew Elsa better than anyone else, save for Anna, maybe (she had a thirteen year gap to make up for, but she was a quick study, and was already rivaling the older man) and as such, could wager a guess as to what had the young woman so worked up. Ostensibly the cat, but a particular memory stuck out.

And of course, Kai being the perceptive man he was, had guessed correctly. Because just as he recalled the event to mind, Elsa found her own thoughts wandering to that day from so many years ago, sometime after the accident. Her father had insisted on carrying out her lessons, uninterrupted, asserting that her education should not suffer just because of an unfortunate 'mishap.' So Elsa was expected to continue with math, history, so on and so forth…

And riding.

Which had never been a problem, really. Elsa _liked_ riding, liked wandering down to the stables and helping the hostlers with the large, companionable animals. She showed an aptitude for it, and would often earn praise from her previous instructor.

After the accident, her father had taken over the lessons, dismissing a great many of Elsa's tutors. Elsa enjoyed the extra time she got to spend with him—but riding lessons were something of an exception.

A skilled rider himself, the King of Arendelle was demanding when it came to teaching, his standards high and his patience short.

Elsa, for her part, handled it well, obeying and doing just as he told her.

But one order came a bit too sharp and suddenly, his tone _fearful,_ like she was doing something wrong. It scared her and she jerked too hard on the reins. The animal responded (_not his fault,_ Elsa would always acknowledge) pulling up suddenly and nearly throwing his small rider.

Elsa's power reacted before she did. They lashed out, scaring the horse worse than any sort of tugging or jabbing could.

That time, she was thrown.

Her father and a few nearby servants were able to intervene before any serious damage could be done—the servants thinking that the horse was the more dangerous of the two, her fathering knowing the exact opposite to be true.

"Elsa," he'd said after the physician had checked Elsa's arm and shoulder. (They were sore and would most likely bruise, but thankfully nothing was broken.) "That was a very dangerous thing to do."

"I didn't _mean_ to do it," Elsa insisted, feeling awful about the whole thing.

"What have I told you, about your powers?"

"I…I know I'm supposed to control them…but I just got scared, and I—"

"I know, I _know,"_ her father muttered, rubbing his forehead. "We'll…we'll just…take a break from lessons, hmmm? Give the horse some time to rest and recover."

She visited the horse sometime later, skittish and ill at ease in the stables—so different from before. If the handlers noticed a change, they knew better than to comment.

She edged closer to the horse's stall, suddenly very aware of how _big_ the horses were, and how _small_ she was.

A sour taste rose in the back of her throat. She found she was having a tough time swallowing. The ice slithered beneath her skin as the troll leader's words came to mind. _Fear will be your enemy._

Did these animals fear her? She wouldn't blame them, if they did. Some seemed to sense that something was off, as they began shifting and shuffling in their stalls. Elsa decided not to linger.

She moved closer still, until she could see the horse in question. He appeared fine, happily munching on whatever the handlers had provided as a snack. He seemed…content.

Elsa smiled a little, relieved.

Then the horse turned his head to the side, and her smile vanished.

A patch of bright white hair flared in the middle of an expanse of tawny. Elsa staggered backwards and _ran_ from the stables, images of Anna coming to mind with such ferocity that Elsa was having a hard time breathing. Her chest felt too tight; she couldn't draw in adequate breath.

She made it to her room, leaving only a few patches of ice in her wake, but once inside, a small blizzard burst forth.

It took days to thaw the furniture.

She refused riding lessons, after that, and though her father protested initially, he dropped the subject rather abruptly. Elsa was never given a reason, but looking back on it now, with the knowledge of what had happened to Anna when she'd caught the brunt of Elsa's powers, she suspected that the horse had met with an untimely, icy end, thanks to her. She never did see it again on the castle grounds, after that.

In terms of an argument against spending time with animals, it was a good one. Elsa was certainly convinced; if she could bring such harm to a _horse,_ she didn't want to think about what might happen to a small, fragile kitten.

"It was an accident, Ma'am," Kai said quietly from behind her. Elsa sighed.

"I know," she conceded. That didn't make her feel any better.

"If I may," Kai went on, "The kitten runs very little risk of 'spooking' you, I'd say. It's not about to rear up on its hind legs and throw you, hmmm?" Ah, yes. The ever rational Kai, there with an infuriatingly good point. "As such, I don't anticipate your powers being an issue. Simply feed it, make sure it is comfortable, and then go to sleep. Easy."

"I just don't—"

"How will Miss Anna react," the older man interrupted, (not at all proper, but of course Elsa was going to let it slide) "when she returns home and learns that you've not taken care of her small companion?"

Elsa couldn't come up with an excuse fast enough, and before she knew it, Kai had all but shoved her into her room, uttered a quick 'good evening,' and shut the door firmly behind him.

Leaving her alone.

With the cat.

…Alone.

The little thing was nestled in a small apple crate that Anna had lined with bits of fabric and—wait, was that one of her _jackets?_ She made a mental note to ice Anna's tea when she next got the chance, the frustration mounting as the small critter turned round and round in the box, and began pulling at the expensive garment with its _claws._

"No, no, don't—" the cat didn't pay her much mind. She just settled into the folds of the fabric, eyelids heavy with sleep.

Elsa found she was mirroring the cat's somnolent expression, exhaustion finally catching up with her. She regarded the creature warily and, only once she was _sure_ it wasn't going to leave its crate, did she ready for bed, all the while keeping a sharp eye on her, to make sure she stayed put.

Thankfully, the box was far from the bed, so the young queen was able to cross the room and hurry beneath the covers without incident. The lamps hard already been turned down low, and the fire was banked in the hearth. Soon enough, Elsa was asleep.

* * *

She wasn't sure what time it was when she found herself unceremonious yanked from slumber to the sound of yowling, but it had to be late. Early? The sky was still dark, the castle silent.

"Wha—?"

The cat was sitting up in her box, meowing at the top of her small kitten lungs. Fear caused Elsa's heart to hammer in her chest—not _of_ the cat, but _for _it. It propelled her forward, so quickly that her feet became tangled in her sheets, and she essentially _fell_ out of bed, and stumbled across the room.

"What? What is it? What's wrong?" she didn't realize how preposterous it was, to be asking the cat what was the matter, until she'd said it.

The little thing continued to wail.

"I don't…what are you…?" she looked around in the darkness somewhat frantically. "Are you hungry? Is that it?"

A small plate sat a ways off, empty save for a few crumbs. A saucer sat next to it, just as barren.

The thought of trekking all the way down to the kitchens at this hour was unappealing—but _more_ unappealing was the thought of either calling someone up to get it for her and needlessly troubling them, or worse, dealing with the yowling all night.

As if to punctuate this fact, the cat let loose a particularly throaty protest.

_"MROW!"_

"Fine, fine, we'll get you something to eat, then," Elsa muttered, padding to the door. She opened it briskly, and nearly jumped out of her skin as something brushed past her exposed calf. Ice snaked out from under her feet. "_Ahh!"_

The kitten sat beside her, gazing up, unfazed by the display of Elsa's powers. One paw extended up towards her knee, battling at the fabric of her nightgown.

"Why you…" Elsa breathed, one hand on her chest. It helped to muffle her rapid heartbeat. She made another mental note._ Tell Kai he was wrong._

The kitten continued to paw at her leg.

"I don't _understand,"_ Elsa hissed in exasperation. The cat began to meow again. _Loudly._ "Shush! _Shhhhh!"_ Elsa corralled it back into her room using her foot, all the while not terribly keen to touch her (what with the recent icing, and all.)

The kitten found it a marvelous game, and began swatting at her foot. "Stop that. _Stop."_ Elsa was losing her patience. _Did she have any to begin with?_

And then the cat sneezed.

A violent, noisy thing. Her entire body seized and spat, the fur bristling and making her appear five times larger than she actually was.

And then she sneezed again.

And again.

Elsa knelt beside it, worry etched on her features. She tentatively reached out a hand, not sure what to do. It looked so miserable, twitching and trembling so.

"Don't—don't _do_ that," she pleaded softly. "Anna will _kill_ me if anything happens to you, you know." Again, she was aware that she was talking to a _cat,_ but she found she didn't care all that much. That, and the cat seemed to like the sound of it—at least, it stopped meowing when she spoke to it. "Are you cold?"

She hurried over to the fireplace in the corner and quickly stoked the embers to flames. It took a few moments; the room was large and the ceilings high. That, and her room was perpetually chilly. (Go figure.) Eventually, though, a cheerful sort of warmth spread through the space. This seemed to calm the cat further.

It hobbled closer to the hearth, only sneezing once on its way over. Elsa was still seated on her knees, so the cat took advantage of the position, quickly hopping up into the young woman's lap. "Ah—no! No, you can't…you'll get orange fur all over—oh, _Lord."_ Elsa grumbled. It was futile, trying to reason with the feline. She repeated the circling she had done in the crate, curling into a tight ball, tucking her paws beneath her chin and coiling her tail around her body.

_Well,_ Elsa thought with a huff. _At least it stopped meowing._

But now Elsa found herself stuck, sitting before the fire. She didn't really want to jostle the small thing—the kitten just looked so _peaceful_ now…and dare she say…cute.

_No. Stop that. This cat is __**leaving**__ as soon as it's well, remember?_ She shifted her weight a little, freezing instantly as the cat opened one eye. _Don't you dare get attached to this thing. Remember your powers…_

But the ice seemed to be behaving thus far—save for that small hiccup.

Long minutes passed. Elsa found her head dipping forward, her shoulders drooping. _Alright, this is crazy. Put the thing to bed in the crate, and go back to sleep._

Ignoring a pang of guilt, she shuffled the cat off of her lap, and once again herded it towards the crate. The kitten protested the entire way, half-asleep.

Once the cat was in her own bed, Elsa returned to hers. She was just pulling the covers up when the damned _yowling_ started again.

"_What?!"_ She all but _shrieked_ at the animal, confused as to what was _wrong_ with it. It wasn't food, the room was warmer, what did it _want?_

She turned over and violently slammed a pillow over her head, hoping to block the noise out. It muffled it somewhat, but it was impossible to ignore the keening, warbling racket.

It went on for several more moments, and then, somewhat suddenly, stopped.

Elsa blinked.

…_Huh._

She lifted the pillow a fraction. The room remained silent. She let out a sigh of relief.

_Good, good. I can finally get to sleep—_

At that point, a small, pink nose poked underneath the pillow. Elsa jerked back.

"_Mrow?"_ The kitten cocked her head to one side, the picture of innocence.

"Argh!" Elsa yelped in surprise, fumbling in the sheets. The cat wasn't bothered by her flustered display, and continued to give her that same wide-eyed, innocent stare. "Oh, don't you even _start,"_ Elsa warned. She sat back and glared at the creature. "Your bed is over _there."_ She pointed at the crate.

The cat continued to gaze at her.

"Well, go on then. _Shoo."_ She flapped a hand in the cat's direction.

The little troublemaker snuggled closer.

"No, no, no," Elsa said as it curled against her side. "Not again."

The cat sighed happily, falling asleep with impressive speed. Elsa was left glaring at it, silently debating if it was worth it to put it back in the crate.

But exhaustion made her limbs heavy, and quashed any motivation she might have had to do so. Reluctantly, she settled down beside it, refusing to admit that the tiny, curled ball of warmth at her side was actually quite nice.

_It's leaving soon._ She reminded herself again, sleep returning once more. _Don't get attached._

* * *

Anna and Kristoff did not return until the next evening, worrying the castle staff to no end. It wasn't until they arrived at the gates, flushed from the cold mountain air and beaming, that the servants relaxed.

"It was nothing serious, then?" Kai asked as the two entered the main hall. Kristoff shook his head.

"No, no. The opposite, actually," he told the older man. He prepared to explain what had transpired, but as per usual, Anna beat him to it, relating a tale of troll babies and the festivities held to mark their birth.

"Ah, well, that sounds…nice," Kai remarked with a raised eyebrow. Privately, he thought that the whole thing sounded a bit strange really, but he wasn't about to tell the Princess or her husband that.

"So, yeah. Not a big deal. Trolls. Babies. Party. And now we're back." Kristoff summarized as he shrugged out of his cold weather gear. Anna had already removed her cloak and was asking after the cat.

"Did she miss me while I was gone?"

"_Us._ Did she miss _us."_ Kristoff corrected.

"Right. Yeah. Sure. Well?"

"I don't think so," Kai said.

Anna frowned. Kai could be…blunt, certainly, but she'd never known him to be _that_ blunt. She wondered if maybe he was joking (he had a funny sense of humor that Elsa seemed to understand better than Anna did) but the line of his mouth and the curve of his eyebrows suggested he was being serious.

"O-oh," she tilted her head to the side. "Well…alright…? Is she…feeling better at least?"

"I'm afraid I don't know, miss, I haven't seen the cat since—"

"You haven't seen her?" Anna asked, panic making her voice jump several octaves higher. "You haven't been keeping an eye on her? _Kai!"_

"Miss Anna, if you'll just let me—"

"Great, _great,_ leave for one night and Kai loses track of the cat—!" Anna was already down the hall, rushing off to the kitchens to begin questioning anyone and everyone as to the whereabouts of the kitten. Kristoff hung back.

"So. The cat's with Elsa, isn't she?" he asked after a moment.

Kai smirked.

"But of course."

Anna cornered and questioned ever servant she encountered between the main hall and the kitchens, so by the time she arrived, she had the inquiry down pat.

"Kitten. Small. Orange. Seen it?"

She braced for a 'no,' as that was the answer she'd received the last ten times she asked the question.

Instead one of the cooks jerked his head to the side. Anna followed the gesture, mood brightening as she expected to find her cat, being cared for by the kind kitchen staff and _oh, that Kai, gonna give him a piece of my mind—_

Her eyes found the familiar ball of orange fluff, and her mouth dropped open in a wide gape.

Because seated _next_ to the cat, happily stroking her tabby coat, was her sister. Her, 'no-the-cat-can't-stay,' 'doesn't-prefer-animals,' 'Queen-of-Arendelle-so-why-is-she-sitting-on-the-_floor_' sister. (_Okay,_ Anna silently reason, still recovering from shock. _She sits on the floor in the library when we're in there, up late reading by the fire and stuff…but this is like, the _kitchen_ and everyone is working like it's no big deal and hello! Queen! Sitting on the floor with a cat!)_

She slowly approached them, opening and closing her mouth as she struggled to find words. Elsa saw her just then, and smiled.

"Welcome back, Anna."

"…Hi…?"

"Was everything alright with the trolls?"

"Yeah, fine...just babies. I mean!" She shook her head at Elsa's slightly-concerned look. "Not like…I mean…the trolls! There were new baby trolls. I think Kristoff is the godfather? Or…troll…father…how does that even work? No, don't answer that," she flapped a hand at Elsa, who looked as though she was ready to provide an explanation. "I…you…what…I thought…?" she gestured at the two of them as she sank to her knees. Elsa's smile turned into a smirk.

"What's the matter, Anna? Cat got your—"

"_Ugh,_ you did _not,_ you big dork," Anna groaned at the pun. Elsa chuckled, raising a slender hand to her mouth.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist."

"Yeah, well," Anna watched as the kitten nuzzled against Elsa's bare hand, purring contentedly. A saucer sat nearby, though the cat looked less interested in food, and more interested in belly rubs. "So. I see you two have hit it off. Mind telling me how that happened?"

"You say it as though you're surprised," Elsa hedged. She withdrew her hand, silently encouraging Anna to take over. Her young sister happily obliged.

"Gosh, you're right…no clue why I'd be _surprised,_ I mean, you were so warm and fuzzy when I first brought her to meet you." Elsa rolled her eyes.

"Alright, yes, yes…I'll admit, I was not…as receptive…as I could have been." Anna leveled a blank stare at her. "_Fine._ I wasn't that receptive at all. But I did let her stay!" Anna noted the use of 'her' as opposed to 'it.' "And…and I kept an eye on her, as you told me to…and…well…" Elsa looked at her hands, currently clasped in her lap. "She _is_ rather cute, and now that she's better, she's not as…fussy…"

"Are you saying what I _think_ you're saying?"

"That depends. What do you think I'm saying?"

"El-saaaaa," Anna playfully nudged her sister in the ribs. Elsa laughed.

"Yes! Yes. I'm staying she can stay." Anna beamed and literally _threw_ herself at Elsa, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug. The cat meowed in surprise. "_But_ she's still not allowed on the furniture," Elsa added, in spite of the fact that she had broken, and probably would continue to break her own rule.

"Sure, got it. No furniture." Anna said, sitting back. She scooped the cat up and brought it close enough to press her nose against the soft fur of her forehead. "Hear that, little one? You get to stay!" a thought occurred to her as she said it, and she looked at Elsa with a gasp. "So she's going to need a name! Well, Kristoff and I were already thinking of one, you know, like, in case…but now she's gonna need one for _sure, _and—"

"Any ideas?"

"Well, a few…Kristoff wants something…troll-y…Pebble, I think, was his first choice." Both sisters shared a look of distaste; Anna stuck out her tongue, and Elsa scrunched her nose. "_No thank you,_ am I right? And I was trying to think of something a bit less…awful."

"So…?"

"Well, I kinda-sorta liked…" her voice trailed off. Elsa raised an eyebrow as she waited for Anna to continue.

"Yes?"

"…Joan?" Anna suggested softly. Elsa blinked. It was not what she was expecting. Her first inclination was to offer something a bit less formal, but as she considered it, and weighed it against the small kitten who so reminded her of Anna, she found there was simply no other name that would fit.

"...I like it," she declared, and Anna's expression relaxed. "Joan it is." A wooden spoon sat on a nearby stool and, in a brief bought of silliness, Elsa reached over, took the spoon, and gently tapped the cat's shoulder blade, officially dubbing her Joan of Arenedelle.

"Jeanne D'Arendelle," Anna giggled. "I can't wait to tell Kristoff."

"I'm sure he'll think we've both gone mad," Elsa said as they both stood and dusted off their skirts. Anna picked up Joan.

"Well, he expects this sort of thing from me—but yeah, he'll definitely think you've lost it."

"Oh, _thank you,_ dear sister," Elsa laughed, voice laced with sarcasm. They exited the kitchens, bidding the staff adieu. As they walked down the hall, and Elsa's laughter quieted, Anna asked a question.

"…Why were you so against it?" Anna recalled the easy way Elsa pet the cat, not an ounce of fear in her expression, her body free of tension.

"Hmm?"

"The cat. Joan. Staying."

"Oh…I…" Elsa paused. After a moment, she shook her head. "I think maybe…I'll tell you later. After dinner, in the library. I promise," Elsa quickly added, so that her sister wouldn't misunderstand, thinking Elsa was simply brushing her off. Elsa didn't want to ruin the cheerful atmosphere—there would be plenty of time for sad stories later, when there would be blankets and hot chocolate to ease the pain.

So Anna let the subject drop. They joined Kristoff and Kai in the main hall, and Anna relayed the happy news. Elsa watched, bemused, and as Kai excused himself, he gave her the slightest of nods, and just a hint of a smile.

She returned it, a silent _thank you,_ before being drawn into the conversation. "So, what's this about troll babies…?"

* * *

Joan spent her days trailing Anna, or Kristoff, or Elsa, depending on who gave her the best belly rub. She'd lounge in the library, explore the garden, and chase mice in the pantry.

But at night, there was only one place to find the feline. Anna expressed mild jealousy at first, _can't believe she prefers your room to ours,_ at which point Elsa gently reminded her sister that the cat was a bed hog, and between her and Kristoff, there simply wasn't a lot of space left over.

"Fair point."

Elsa had thought her sister would get over it, eventually anyway. And, several months later, she'd assumed that she had.

But one afternoon, as Elsa sat in her study, pen in one hand, the other idly stroking Joan's fur, she found she was mistaken.

Anna burst through the door, Kristoff hot on her heels, both disheveled and leaving twigs and leaves in their wake.

"Elsa!" Anna began, and the Queen's eyes trailed to the shaggy bundle of fur that wriggled in her arms. "We found a dog in town and—"

Elsa groaned.

* * *

**Yep, more fluffy nonsense, because these dorks deserve to live happily ever after and so on and so forth. XD Just a side note, if anyone is following my other story, worry not! It hasn't been abandoned. I've just been too busy to work on the latest chapter.**

**Alright, anyways, reviews are appreciated, but not required, hope you enjoyed the chapter either way! Thanks for reading! :)**


End file.
